Lucy Lawless has spoken - for a Living Wage (see picture below). Our own warrior princess was a speaker at the End Child Poverty Hikoi . She called on politicians to step up and end child poverty in New Zealand. She said if children are going to school hungry they cannot learn and that is compromising the future of the country. Her opinion piece in the Herald made it clear: "We need to rethink the value of low paid workers in our society." Referring to cleaners, Lawless said "I reckon anyone who deals with poo deserves a Living Wage at the very least." The Living Wage Movement says vote for a Living Wage so all workers earn enough to survive and participate in our society. Labour, Greens, Internet/Mana, Maori Party and NZ First have all said they will back a Living Wage in the state sector for directly employed and contracted workers. This would transform our society.

Living Wage Member representatives, Gaellen Mputu Nkonko (Auckland Refugee Community Coalition) and Ashok Dutta (SFWU), at the recent press conference at the Migrant Action Trust on issues raised by migrant and former refugee communities. Candidates at the election largely ignored the call for a community hub to provide a united voice for our growing new migrant population. Support was provided by Greens Maori Party and Internet Mana.

Can they prove it?

The Living Wage Employer logo is an increasingly known trade mark, it is credible and it is working for the first Living Wage Employers. It identifies them as ethical because they met the basic criteria of ensuring all workers (directly employed and regular contracted) are paid a Living Wage, no terms and conditions were reduced to achieve this; and workers were provided access to a Union (just the law!). For businesses that meet these criteria see our website: www.livingwage.org.nz

Today we feature Living Wage employer Tomato Café, in Palmerston North.
Tomato Café is "Kiwi As..." An off the wall Kiwi-ana themed café by day, casual bistro by night.Tomato was judged the Regions Top Café in the 2012 New Zealand Best Café Awards.
Owner, James Pettingill, said this year "In an industry where success pivots on the fulcrum of your staff's discretionary effort, it makes no sense to view your most valuable asset - human capital - as a liability."
For information about Living Wage Employers in New Zealand go to www.livingwage.org.nz.

Upcoming AGM

On October 31 the Living Wage Movement will hold its AGM in Auckland, 4pm, 155 New North Rd. Wellington TBA.